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Jim Andris, Facebook |
Letter to Friend from the augmented Magnolia Committee, Feb. 14, 1980February 14, 1980 Dear Friend: We are a coalition of groups and individuals recently formed (Dec. '79) specifically for the purpose of having a march/walk in St. Louis of Lesbians and Gays with support from our non-gay friends as well. We named ourselves "The Magnolia Committee" and had initially set a tentative date for the walk in March. Since then, a Gay Pride week entitled, St. Louis Celebration of Lesbian and Gay Pride has been planned by a (still-forming) coalition of groups. To accomodate these expanded activities, the date of the walk has been changed to April 20th which is a Sunday to culminate the end of this week's events. We decided to have the focus of the walk be to raise money for charities and have named it the "Lesbian, Gay, and Friends Walk for Charity" with the sub-theme "Lesbians and Gays Care about St. Louis." We contacted several "charities" asking for their endorsement of the Walk and asking whether they would agree to be listed as recipients for money raised. The following is a list of those responding affirmatively.
This is the ostensible purpose of the Walk. In addition, we anticipate it giving positive publicity to the St. Louis Lesbian/Gay community; to raise the consciousness of St. Louisians; to bring lesbians, gays and other human rights advocates together in a display of large numbers and unity; and finally, we hope each participant will feel an increased sense of pride and dignity as a result of this experience. We have sent over forty letters to "liberal" community organizations asking for endorsement and support (including the religious community) and are in the process of receiving responses. While we're still very much in the planning stages we are asking for your active support in order to make this a huge success. Our meetings are open to representatives of organized groups or individuals. In order to encourage out-of-town participation, we are preparing a coupon booklet offering discounts to various restaurants, theatres, and a variety of businesses as well as setting up free housing and child care. Tenatively, the Walk route will go from Maryland Plaza to Washington University where a rally with local and possibly out-of-town speakers will be held. We need your ideas and energy. Enclosed is a check list we would like you to return indicating your interest. We hope you'll join us in support of Lesbian and Gay rights. In struggle, The Magnolia Committee Including members from the Following Groups
For more information call 664-7412 (Please share this info. with people we didn't reach) |